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Wednesday, 12 May 2010

About Me

Where do I start?

I guess I learnt at a very early age that if I wanted a good meal I’d have to make it myself, which in itself is incredible and just goes to emphasise that I do have a very discerning palate, to the frustration of quite a few of my friends, we’ll go into that at a later date. My mother didn’t cook you see, or didn’t cook well and we always had house help, that may sound privileged but trust me it wasn’t as grand as it sounds.

I remember very well the first time I cooked. I’d just come home from school and very grandly announced that I wanted to eat chapatti, I was 11 years old! Kenya’s food is influenced a lot by Indian cuisine, a legacy left behind by the Indians who came over to help the British build the railway as the locals had refused to do so due to superstition. Chapatti was and still is very much a luxury in most homes and eaten at the weekend as a treat for those who can afford it or only on big occasions for the less fortunate. Mum informed me that Mary, the girl living with us at the time, had already made supper and that if I wanted chapatti I’d have to make it myself, she was joking and was absolutely amazed when I did it. They may have been a bit hexagonal rather than round but I did it and thus began my love affair with food/cooking. To this day, I’m told I make the best chapatti and mum will not allow anyone else to do it if I’m home. I guess you’ll have to judge for yourself when I do the curry night.

Why do I want to do this? I live, breath and eat food ;-) and I guess would love to share what I’ve learnt over the years with like minded people. I may not cook in a professional kitchen but would damn well give those professionals a run for their money!!!